Finally...I've succumbed to temptation and my ego.
"..but he is a very fine cat, a very fine cat indeed..."

Saturday, November 05, 2011

Remember, remember the fifth of November,
Gunpowder, treason and plot,
I see no reason why gunpowder and treason,
Should ever be forgot.

It's fireworks night but I have elected to stay in with the animals. The cats are alright as they have been fed and are safely settled down in their various favoured spots, usually beside a radiator. The dog is a different matter entirely. She is glued to my side and the music is turned up to drown out the louder bangs. Trying to get her into the garden for calls of nature is difficult and it usually involves a sprint there, during and back again. So it will be a couple of glasses of whisky, music and internet surfing / reading a book this evening. The music will also have to be 'loud' so metal and rock is the chosen style for this evening.

This past week off work has been a "wasted" one for me because of illness. A lousy cold which effected my ears and consequently my balance necessitating I stayed at home. Nothing more strenuous than brief forays to the local shops and short walks for the dog. The lightheadedness, the world spinning and nausea was most unpleasant. The one positive is that I wasn't at work and I could relax, read books, sleep, watch DVD's, sleep and then sleep some more. My plans to go to London were cancelled and I missed out on catching up with some old friends. Mrs.C pointed out that as soon as I was on holiday and I relaxed the leurgy hit me. There is some mileage in that because I am now keenly aware how tired, tense and wound up I was prior to this break as a result of work. So a week spent relaxing and doing very little has allowed me to recuperate and given me some time to mull over my future options. They are currently limited to sorting out the repairs to the house and then much needed redecoration which will make Mrs.C happy. No.1 son had the second of two interviews for an engineering apprenticeship which is looking quite positive. The past six months have seen him mature and he has been busy chasing jobs, apprenticeships, etc... Fingers crossed this will be successful because it includes his studying in Bristol and his first big steps into the wider world begins. I can then reconsider my options regarding work which I now realise I no longer enjoy. I do enjoy the actual nursing but not the politics, the bullshit and the idiots. With services cut to the bone and few staff it really does hit home when managers make stupid decisions. Each of us then has to work twice as hard to ensure patients aren't effected but the cost is staff quickly burnt out. I have been there before and I have seen it happen to colleagues so I have no desire to repeat it again. Some ideas come to mind and over the next few months I will explore what I can change workwise.

Regarding the union vote for a strike over pensions I voted no. I actually consider what the government is offering as reasonable especially so in light of the amended version offered. I don't think there will be public support for the strike nor do I believe it is right to do so given the current economic situation, the lack of decent pension schemes for those in the private sector and, I believe the strike is using public sector pensions as an excuse for attacking the government. Sadly I am in a minority and the strike will be going ahead. Cue the usual useful idiots using it as an excuse to riot. All this against the backdrop of the eu experiment imploding, sabre rattling at Iran and a real disconnect between the political class and the general public. *Sigh* I think I may be about ready for my first whisky... two 70 cl bottles of Grant's 'Ale Cask Whisky' for £18.00! A bargain and we got the last two in Sainsbugs with one bottle now put away for Christmas. I mentioned this as a comment upon another blog suggesting he check out his local store because this particular offer was not advertised and that blogger enjoys his whisky. Mrs.C spotted a small red label attached to the price tag and we asked a shop assistant to verify it was correct. He was very helpful given the last two bottles had different labels but were essentially the same product. When a regular bottle of the Cask Ale Whisky costs just under £17.00 this was undoubtedly a bargain. I would say the whisky is for medicinal purposes but I return to work Monday and my cold has gone with the last vestiges going today. My ears popped this morning and boy is the world loud.
TTFN.